Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of porous ZnO coral-like nanoplates for organic dye degradation

Nguyen Hong Hanh; Quan Thi Minh Nguyet; Tran Van Chinh; La Duc Duong; Tran Xuan Tien; Lai Van Duy; Nguyen Duc Hoa

doi:10.1039/D4RA01345J

Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of porous ZnO coral-like nanoplates for organic dye degradation†

Nguyen Hong Hanh,

*^a Quan Thi Minh Nguyet,^b Tran Van Chinh,^c La Duc Duong,

^c Tran Xuan Tien,^d Lai Van Duy*^efgh and Nguyen Duc Hoa

^e

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Institute of Engineering Physics, Academy of Military Science and Technology, 17 Hoang Sam Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City, Vietnam
E-mail: hanh2904@gmail.com

^b School of Engineering Physics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No. 1 Dai Co Viet Street, Hanoi City, Vietnam

^c Institute of Chemistry and Materials, Academy of Military Science and Technology, 17 Hoang Sam Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City, Vietnam

^d Academy of Military Science and Technology, 17 Hoang Sam Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City, Vietnam

^e International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), No. 1, Dai Co Viet Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail: hoangduy141993@gmail.com, duy.uniroma2@gmail.com

^f Department of Food Quality and Nutrition, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy

^g Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy

^h Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi City, Vietnam

Abstract

ZnO nanomaterials have been extensively used as photocatalysts for the removal of pollutants in aqueous environments. This study explores the enhanced photocatalytic performance of porous ZnO coral-like nanoplates synthesized via a one-pot wet-chemical method and subsequent annealing treatment. Characterization through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements confirmed the nanoplates' porous structure, single-crystal structure, 100 nm thickness, and 80 nm pore size. These unique structural characteristics of the ZnO coral-like nanoplates enabled effective photodegradation of the organic dye rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. Under simulated sunlight, the ZnO photocatalyst exhibited exceptional performance, achieving a 97.3% removal rate of RhB after 210 minutes of irradiation. The prepared ZnO photocatalyst also showed remarkable photostability and regeneration capability for RhB photodegradation with a decreased efficiency of less than 15% after eight testing cycles. The potential mechanism of the ZnO photocatalyst toward RhB degradation was also studied and is discussed in detail.

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Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of porous ZnO coral-like nanoplates for organic dye degradation†

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